The 6 Best Cities To Live In During Law School

By Nayra Mendoza on April 8, 2016

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

As this spring semester comes to an end and a new school year approaches, pre-law undergraduate students and returning law students are deciding what their next step will be.

The main choice that has to be made is what school to attend, or transfer to. Narrowing your search to a handful of schools, cost of living and school reputations are other factors that law students should research before making a decision.

To facilitate the choices for my fellow pre-law majors, I’ve compiled a list of the best cities for law students based on the statistics from StartClass. The list is in no particular or ranking order.

Washington D.C., Virginia

This has been boasted as the best city for law students and new lawyers alike by several reports and articles. It is a city huge on history, national influence, and international growth. According to LawyerEdu.org, D.C. boasts a nice $157,770 annual median salary. The metropolitan area also has a young adult population of almost 21 percent, so there is a high chance of fun ways to relax and meet people in your age group.

best city for law students

Image via (law.georgetown.edu)

D.C. is home to six law schools, and at the top of the list is Georgetown University with a 24.5 percent acceptance rate and a #17 ranking of all law schools in the country. The proximity to the Supreme Court and other federal agencies is a major attraction for many law students.

Austin, Texas

Austin has many great qualities as Texas’ capital besides its many pet-friendly hangouts. There is a low cost of living that is appealing to many single, young adults. There has been a recent surge of employment in the past couple of years as well.

Austin also boasts the title, “Music Capital of the World,” with its music festivals and concerts.

best city for law students

Image via (asergeev.com)

The University of Texas at Austin has the lowest acceptance rate of the schools on this list at 21.9 percent. However, UT has a 32 percent minority student rate, higher than the average law school of 24 percent. This is also the highest minority rate on the list. The law school also has a 12 student to one professor ratio, so you have a better chance at a more personalized relationship with mentors.

Columbia, Missouri

Missouri is a great state for fine arts, outdoors, and sports fanatics. The state attracts law students mainly in Columbia, where there is much opportunity to study, practice and live.

Columbia is the state’s fourth most populous metropolitan area and is the midway point between the larger metropolitan areas of Kansas City and St. Louis. Commonly called “CoMo,” the city has many parks and trails to encourage exploration and fitness, and the Missouri River offers water-based activities like kayaking and canoeing.

best city for law students

Image via (missouri.edu)

The University of Missouri offers a school for law that is hard to dismiss. The University of Missouri School of Law offers a very cheap resident tuition at $20,771. With a 58.8 percent acceptance rate and 91.7 percent bar pass rate, U of M’s Missouri law program prepares students for post-graduate employment better than any other program in the state.

Boston, Massachusetts

At a considerable $160,000 per year, Boston lawyers are paid a pretty sum. Of the population, 20.7 percent is young, and 2.4 percent have a professional career. Home of the Red Sox, sports fans will be highly enthusiastic to take a trip, or a few trips, to Fenway Park.

The city is geographically located in a cold region of the country. Make sure to pack lots of coats and leg warmers!

best city for law students

Image via (Flickr)

Although Harvard Law is located relatively close to Boston and is ranked #3 on StartClass, it is not the proper school to highlight in relation to a search for the best financial-friendly school for a law student. It is important to mention, for open-minded and interested students, that the Ivy League school has a 17.9 percent acceptance rate and a 99.7 percent post-graduate employment rate.

The Boston University School of Law is the best ranked — at #19 — of the three law programs in the city. In comparison to the other five schools on this list, Boston U offers the most financial aid, with  90.9 percent of their student body receiving aid. If time is not on your side, you also have the option of a part-time program.

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona is a city filled with 200 golf courses, the largest non-profit zoo in the U.S., and annual events that celebrate the city’s diversity and unique culture. Students will experience the hottest weather in this desert-climate city compared to the other cities listed. Preparation for living in this city includes packing shorts, flip flops, and light-material shirts.

best city for law students

Image via (campus.asu.edu)

Arizona State University is ranked high on many lists, including #1 on “Most Innovative Schools” in America for 2016 by the U.S. News & World Report. Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law has a lower-than-average acceptance rate of 43.3 percent, making it a competitive program. However, other statistics that might attract law students is the bar’s pass rate of 89.5 percent and a graduate employment rate of 96 percent.

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is a growing region in the U.S. With a $140,000 median salary, it is the best paying city in the state for lawyers. With four law schools in the city, two of which are ranked in the top #40 by StartClass, students can enjoy their grad school years knowing they are being educated with advanced learning and developing the necessary skills to practice law.

Emory University attracts law students with its law program that emphasizes gender equality with a 50 percent female-male student body, diversity with a 29 percent minority rate, and accessibility with its 32 percent acceptance rate. It is still significantly lower than the average 54 percent rate, however.

best city for law students

Image via (atlantaga.gov)

The best place to live for law students is chosen depending on specific factors such as financial standing for each individual.

StartClass makes comparing these six schools much easier with this overview. It even compares average temperature between the different cities! Hopefully, this list gives you better options that you may or may not have considered yet. Don’t forget to compare your own school choices to choose the best city for you.

Learn more about Kaplan’s test prep options and start building the confidence you need for Test Day.

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